EasyJet

I flew on EasyJet recently for the first time.

Like other budget airlines, EasyJet employs various methods to keep prices low.

One of these methods is to fly from second tier airports. My flight for example was from Istanbul to London Luton. But instead of using Istanbul’s conveniently located Ataturk airport, EasyJet flies from Sabiha Gokcen airport which is a good 1 1/2 hours taxi ride from downtown Istanbul. The taxi fare of 50 to 60 Euros needs to be factored in when comparing EasyJet’s prices against rival airlines.

Similarly, people not familiar with UK might be surprised to find that Luton is actually in Bedfordshire and a long way from the nearest Tube station.

Having said all that, the flight itself was fine and still good value for money,though not really a patch on AirAsia in my opinion.

FMS Bar & Restaurant, Ipoh

When I visited Ipoh back in 2011, I had been hoping to have a drink and lunch in the famous F.M.S. Bar & Restaurant, a popular watering hole where miners and planters used to go for their stengahs in the days of the Federated Malay States.

The author Noel Barber mentioned the FMS Bar in his book, The War of the Running Dogs:

“The FMS Bar in Ipoh, which had been run by the same family for three generations, was unlike any other in Malaya. Not far from the station, a firm favourite with the planters and miners, it had the swing doors of a Western movie, an L-shaped bar with a big fridge behind it, a Victorian pendulum clock on the wall, and an abacus rattling at one end of the bar. At the far end of the room, three curtained cubicles awaited those who wanted dinner.”

Unfortunately it was closed and I later learned that it had shut its doors in March 2008 for renovations which seemed to be taking some time.

Recently I returned to Ipoh. Surely the renovations must be finished now, I thought. It has been 5 years since they started.

There has been some progress – a new coat of paint, a new colour scheme and a new roof.

But the doors remain firmly closed and padlocked and there is no sign of life inside. Either the owners have employed the world’s slowest contractors or they are hesitating about whether to reopen or not.

Hong Kong Skyline

This photo was taken on my recent rip to Hong Kong.

I reckon that only 7 or so of the buildings in the front row were standing when I first visited HK in 1980. Those 7 would be (left to right) Hutchison House, the low rise building in front of it which was part of HMS Tamar, the Urban Council building, Princes Building, the Mandarin, the Connaught Centre and the GPO building.

Hong Kong’s skyline continues to change but the effect remains spectacular, even if the view of the Peak is gradually disappearing behind taller and taller towers.

Malunggay–Miracle Plant

We have a miracle tree growing in our garden. In our household we know it by its Filipino name, malunggay but its scientific name is Moringa oleifera.

It is miraculous for two reasons:

1. It is so easy to grow and it produces vast amounts of edible leaves. If you start with a seed or a small cutting you will soon have a tall slender tree. When it gets too tall for easy harvesting, you just saw off the top,  stick the top in the ground and in no time you have another tree.
2. The leaves (and the seed pods) are said to have amazing health benefits. According to a Philippine newspaper, the Sun.Star Baguio, these are some of the supposed benefits:

• Gram for gram malunggay contains four times more Vitamin A or beta-carotene than carrots.

• It is also a rich source of vitamin C, many times more than oranges.

• Normally milk is said to be a rich source of calcium but the amount of calcium present in malunggay leaves is way higher than in milk.

• Malunggay leaves are said to contain two times the protein present in milk.

• Bananas are a rich source of potassium. But malunggay leaves contain several times more potassium than bananas.

• Along with potassium, zinc is also found in large quantities in malunggay leaves.

• If malunggay leaves were to be eaten by one and all, the world will be free of anaemia as it contains three times more iron than spinach.

• With all the junk food eaten these days, many people face problems of high cholesterol. Malunggay helps in balancing the cholesterol levels in the body.

• Essential Amino acids are also found in malunggay leaves.

• It is also said to balance sugar levels, hence it is helpful in the fight against diabetes.

• The body’s natural defence mechanism increases with the consumption of malunggay in the daily diet pattern. Since it is an immunity-stimulant, it is prescribed for AIDS afflicted patients.

• Its leaves can be consumed to stimulate metabolism.

• It is also said to have digestive powers.

• It is a nutrition booster and is known to promote a feeling of well-being in people.

• If you are looking for non-sugar based energy, then its leaves is the answer. Thus, it will also help in the weight loss process.

• The cell structure in the body is stimulated by the leaves.

• It is especially useful for lactating mothers. The consumption of the leaves has shown dramatic increase in the quantity of breast milk.

• It is also famous for its anti-bacterial properties.

• The paste of the Leaves is said to beautify the skin and is hence applied by women regularly to their faces as a facial. Leave it on till it dries then wash it off. You will feel your skin to be soft and smooth.

• It protects the liver and kidneys.

• It can also be used as a water purifier.

Studies have shown that malunggay can be used to treat a number of illnesses. Malunggay leaves are good for headache, bleeding from a shallow cut, bacterial and fungal skin complaints, anti-inflammatory gastric ulcers, diarrhoea, and malnutrition. This is one reason why the government has used malunggay in its feeding and nutrition programs.

Internal organs are said to benefit from the vegetable. Malunggay pods are dewormers, good for treating liver and spleen problems, pain of the joints, and malnutrition. Likewise, malunggay seeds treat arthritis, rheumatism, gout, cramp, STD, boils and urinary problems, and is a relaxant for epilepsy.

There have been claims that malunggay can be used to lower blood pressure as well as its being an anti-tumour plant.

Sounds like we should all be eating it, but what is the best way?

Like many vegetables, nutritional value is highest when consumed raw. The taste is not wonderful, something like grass mixed with raw peas. The best way to consume malunggay raw is probably to liquidize it and mix with a fruit juice, like this guyabano/malunggay concoction:

Most people cook the leaves and use them like spinach. A filipino classic dish is tinola, a chicken stew made with green papaya, ginger and malunggay leaves.

They can be used in western cuisine too. They make a tasty addition to leek and potato soup for example.  They can also be added to pesto sauce.

Our tree does not have any of the long thin seed pods yet but, when it does, there are various spicy Asian curry dishes we can try out.

In the time taken to write this article I have finished the guyabano/malunggay juice and now my stomach is rumbling angrily so I may discovered one of the side-effects!

Yung Shue Wan to Sok Kwu Wan Trail, Lamma Island

I was in Hong Kong last week with my wife and daughter and we took the opportunity to revisit Lamma Island after a gap of more than 12 years.

One of our favourite excursions when we used to live in Hong Kong was to take the ferry to Yung Shue Wan, walk across to Sok Kwu Wan (or vice versa), have a seafood meal and catch the return ferry from there.

As the ferry pulled into Yung Shue Wan, everything looked pretty much as I remembered it. But on closer inspection there have been a few subtle changes in the dozen years since I was last there. For a start there are a lot more westerners living there, and judging by the organic convenience store, the vegetarian restaurants, the trinket stores and so on, it appears that this little village has become a haven for artists, hippies and down-shifters.

More affordable rents and a relaxed and healthy lifestyle on this island-without-cars would add to its appeal to expats.

It was a nice cool temperature (for us people used to Malaysian weather) and ideal for hiking. Very soon we reached Hung Shing Yeh Beach.

One big improvement in Hong Kong since the old days is the standard of public toilets. When HK was under British rule, public toilets were to be avoided at all costs but nowadays they are mostly clean with hands-free taps, foot pedal flushes and soap. Well done Hong Kong.

Lamma Power Station seems to have grown larger since we were last here. That is not surprising as HK’s population has gone up by about a million people in the past 12 years. Fortunately Lamma has so far managed to avoid major new housing developments and the island remains relatively green and pristine. In fact Lamma is greener than it used to be thanks to some forest regeneration projects.

At its highest point the trail has a viewing pavilion overlooking Ha Mei Wan with the lofty peak, Shan Tei Tong in the background (which I have never climbed).

The village of Sok Kwu Wan came into view after a few more minutes walking.

Here kites were seen patrolling the skies on the lookout for rodents or other snacks. (Photo taken by my daughter).

The path wound its way down to sea level passing one or two rural villages on the way.

Some cute puppies were playing on the beach. My daughter wanted to take them home with us.

The path passes in front of the so-called Kamikazi Grottos, a couple of roughly hewn tunnels which were dug by the Japanese during WWII.  According to some, they intended to launch suicide boat attacks against Allied shipping from these caves but the war ended before construction was completed.

Arriving in Sok Kwu Wan we passed Tin Hau Temple which has had a facelift or two since we were last in Lamma.

We were pleased to see that Sok Kwu Wan is still basically a strip of seafood restaurants preparing delicious dishes from the fish cultivated in the fish farms filling the bay.

There is a big choice of local and imported seafood on display in the live tanks outside the restaurants.

We always used to dine at Wan Kee but we were told it closed down 3 years ago and has since been converted into a western restaurant. Instead we opted for Lamma Hilton next door which has been around for ages and has always been popular.

We had a nice meal and, something I was looking forward to after a long walk, a refreshingly cool bottle or two of Tsingtao’s finest.

Then we made our way to the pier and, since the Central ferry had just left, we took the more rustic Aberdeen ferry back to Hong Kong island.

It was good to know that some of the simple pleasures of days gone by are still available in Hong Kong.

Prime Minister’s Walk, Putrajaya

As you are probably aware, The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak, has dissolved parliament, paving the way for a general election to be held during the coming month.

At this important time, he probably has a lot on his mind. I always find that a good walk helps clear the head and revive the spirits. The Prime Minister is almost certainly too busy to take a walk but if he did manage to find the time, he has a very fine route right on his doorstep, which I call the Prime Minister’s Walk.

The route starts next to the lake at the bottom of the garden of his very nice home, Seri Perdana.  This sprawling mansion is the official residence of the Prime Minister and enjoys fine views of the Botanical Gardens and Istana Melawati, the King’s Putrajaya palace.

The route follows a footpath and boardwalk through leafy Precinct 10, one of Putrajaya’s prettiest areas where many of the city’s most prestigious properties are found. Surprisingly hens and roosters can be seen freely scratching around in the grass next to the lake, keeping a wary eye out for monitor lizards who might fancy a poultry snack.

The route passes underneath the 375m long Seri Perdana bridge, said to be built with Moorish design elements.  The Prime Minister could cross this bridge if he were going to his office but we will continue along the lake front.

Next we arrive at the Marine Police Headquarters (right in the picture) and the Lake Club (centre).

If you have a career in the Royal Malaysian Police and you are posted to be Chief of Marine Police at Putrajaya you know you are in for a cushy number. Crime in Putrajaya generally is low. Water-borne crime must be non-existent. There can’t be many marine traffic offences either as there are only a couple of sightseeing cruise boats, a few speed boats used by gardeners and a handful of canoes on Putrajaya’s lakes to contend with.

I would suggest the Prime Minister end his walk at the Lake Club (Kelab Tasik) and enjoy a cooling lime juice and perhaps a delicious Malaysian meal on the club’s delightful terrace.

From the terrace the PM could look out over the Putra Mosque and reflect on his hard work and the nation’s achievements over the past 5 years. He would also have a good view of his office at the massive Perdana Putra complex, and no doubt feel confident that he will soon be back there, re-elected to continue his efforts. In previous elections the result has always been a foregone conclusion as the ruling coalition has been in power continuously since Independence. This time around, many observers say the result will be a close call.

We’ll see!

Malaysian Spitting Cobra–Part 2

Seems our resident snake will not be bothering us again. The Burmese gardener who visits fortnightly spotted the cobra and bashed it to death with a bamboo pole, but not before it managed to spray one final shot of venom into our dog Sandy’s good eye.

Poor Sandy!

We’re very grateful to the gardener. Shame the snake had to die but what to do?

At least we’ll be able to go out in the garden now – provided he got the right snake!